All the members of the jury were deeply in agreement about "Mondo's" greatness. They did not hold back with their praise after the announcement that he had won the prize.
I actually think he's maybe the best athlete we've had in Sweden, or at least one of the best. He's just "outstanding" and you shouldn't forget that he's still young, says Anette Norberg.
I feel that he's really one of the greatest Swedish athletes of all time, already at the age of 25. He's a born pole vaulter, says Anders Lindblad, sports columnist at Svenska Dagbladet and the jury's secretary.
Even though the jury had long discussions, the decision was a given.
There were long discussions, but also good conversations. In the end, it felt obvious and it was a unanimous decision, actually. We only voted once and everyone voted for "Mondo", says Anette Norberg.
What tipped the scales in Duplantis' favor, according to the jury, was that he set a world record at the Olympic Games.
I think we would have had completely different discussions if "Mondo" hadn't set a world record. It was a packed arena, quarter to twelve at night, and everyone cheered for our Swedish pole vaulter. There's hardly anything comparable, it's incredible. To have the feeling that it's not enough with an Olympic gold, but that we also need a world record. It shows that he's in a class of his own, says David Lega.
